Your Home Security Being Put At Risk

A recent discussion on the Master Locksmiths Association members Forum has seen some heated debate. According to one report a local hospital somewhere in the country is sending all their service staff away on locksmithing courses. Whilst we appreciate the need for such departments to reduce overheads, by training their staff in a wider range of skills, it seems irresponsible to train staff in the arts of lock picking, slipping rim latches and overcoming many other forms of security device.

What will be the affect if all our local institutions send service staff on courses? You could potentially have hundreds of individuals capable of overcoming the basic security we see on many residential and commercial properties. Accepting that most will be honest individuals, given the necessary skills we could arrive at a situation where one persons innocent endeavours to overcome for example a simple ‘lockout’ could open the door, forgive the pun, to accusations of illegal activity. If, for example, our University and QE2 send their staff on such courses I can see the situation arising where rooms in these institutions are entered, without any sign of force, and not only will the finger point at the service personnel but any insurance claim will be refused on the grounds of it being an inside job.

Hundreds of service personnel carrying sets of lock picks and the skills to use them. In many cases paid for by you and me. Add to this the numbers of companies now offering locksmiths as part of their team of experts. For example, the AA now have locksmiths as part of the multi skilled workforce. We must already be into the 1000’s of unknown, and unregistered, individuals.

CPDA/CPO recommendations will need to be lifted up to the highest levels of security even for the lowest of threats. Households will be no longer be able to rely on a rim latch, deadlock and a few window locks. Insurance companies will need to raise the bar so high to counter the threat posed.

I hope you feel as strongly as I do that the institutions should consider the consequences of their actions. Its one thing training plumbers to replace a broken pain of glass but quite another to give that plumber the skills to pick locks. Giving a tradesman the hi-security key to an office in the police station ( for example), so he can repair a leaky radiator, is acceptable as you can always get the key back. If the key goes missing you can change the lock. Giving him the skills to pick locks is something you can’t take back from him if he proves to be dishonest.

Alexandra Locksmiths fit locks, grilles, intercom systems, safes and all other security devices and we cover North London, East London, West London and Central London.

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